Why Does Osteoarthritis Cause Knee Pain?

Osteoarthritis, or osteoarthritis, is a degenerative disease associated with the entire body that can affect any joint in the body. It often occurs as a result of wear on the protective cartilage at the ends of the bones. When it occurs in the knees, osteoarthritis causes knee pain.

The knee can be affected by a number of different diseases and injuries, but osteoarthritis is the chronic disease that affects the knees the most. In fact, one of the most common forms of this disease is known as knee osteoarthritis. It usually occurs in middle-aged and elderly people. It is also one of the biggest causes of disability.

Several therapies and therapies are available to relieve pain. However, there is no curative treatment for the underlying, progressive process.

Why does osteoarthritis cause knee pain?

To understand why osteoarthritis causes knee pain, it is important to explain what it does to the joint.

Although osteoarthritis can affect any joint, in many cases it is the cartilage that lines the bones of the knees that decays. The articular cartilage is soft and slippery, and its function is to protect and cushion the ends of the bones of the knees. When these cartilage wears out or is damaged, the joint loses its ability to flex and move normally.

Because this triggers the inflammatory process, it leads to chronic, time-worsening periods of pain. If a patient does not follow treatment to slow its progression, over time he will not be able to move normally and will suffer from worse symptoms.

Types of knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis causes knee pain depending on what stage it has progressed to. When a patient is diagnosed with osteoarthritis, the doctor considers three different classifications of the disease.

The patient may have one of the following types of osteoarthritis:

Mild osteoarthritis of the knee

Patients with this type of osteoarthritis only have pain when they strain themselves. X-rays of the knee do not show clear changes.

Moderate knee osteoarthritis

In this case, the x-rays taken from the knee show some noticeable changes. Periods of pain appear after prolonged standing or moderate exercise. Symptoms appear several times a year.

Severe knee osteoarthritis

When osteoarthritis of the knee is severe, it causes prolonged knee pain even after a slight strain. Typically, pain and stiffness occur during the first 20 minutes of the day, but the symptom resolves over time.

At this stage, there are several episodes in which fluid develops in the joint and the knee is inflamed. Periods of pain recur more frequently and may affect mobility. In this case, X-rays show clear signs of cartilage wear.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee

Symptoms of osteoarthritis may vary depending on how worn the cartilage is. In general, pain, swelling, and impaired functioning occur.  This last symptom means an inability to move the knee.

Swelling, which is the reason why osteoarthritis causes knee pain, occurs when there is extra synovial fluid inside the joint. Because the joint no longer supports the border in question in the normal way, the movement of the limb is limited and the patient’s quality of life deteriorates.

Briefly, symptoms of osteoarthritis may include:

• Pain that is worse in the mornings and decreases when the knee “warms up”.

• Feeling of stiffness after immobility.
• Prolonged pain after knee flexion (for example, after prolonged sitting).
• Severe pain that worsens when moving.

Why is early diagnosis important?

It is important to note that all types of osteoarthritis worsen over time. The sooner a patient is diagnosed, the better the prognosis and treatment outcomes. Your doctor may recommend x-rays to confirm the disease. They can be used to determine how bad the cartilage damage is and whether the space between the joints separating the bones of the knee has shrunk.

Once your doctor has determined how far your osteoarthritis has progressed, he or she may suggest:

• Lifestyle changes (healthy diet and joint-friendly exercise)
• Physiotherapy
• Weight loss (if the patient is overweight or obese)
• Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs
• Surgical treatment (arthroscopy or joint replacement, only in severe cases)

The reason why osteoarthritis causes knee pain is an inflammatory process that results from the wear and tear of the articular cartilage. Because it is a progressive disease, it is important to diagnose and treat it as early as possible.